The average lifespan of a porta potty is around 10 years, and a lot can happen in that decade. There are many types of portable toilets and they’ve come a long way since the first porta potty models. Just a few include luxury trailers, toilets with baby changing tables, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant toilets, and more. Some units (trailers, for example) are built for custom purposes with a limited lifespan. But the vast majority are durable polyethylene units that are made to stand up to years of use. So, what’s the life cycle of a porta potty? Stages: the life cycle of a porta potty Heavy-duty plastic construction and water-saving technology means porta potties only need to be serviced every 200 uses or so. These stages are a general rule of thumb. The number of people using the unit and the amount of time it spends being hauled from location to location can put extra wear on units over time. New from factory When these sparkling clean units come off the factory floor, they’re generally reserved for special events. Brand new units will usually feature the latest technologies. For example, new solar panel restrooms look and feel more like a regular restroom rather than a traditional porta potty. New units are more expensive for porta potty vendors to purchase, so they may be in limited supply. This largely depends on your location. In rural areas or areas where there isn’t much demand for portable toilets, it may be more difficult to find brand new units. On the other hand, there are events vendors that specialize in upscale events. They’ll have access to the newest event porta potty models and features, and they may be willing to deliver outside their normal service area. Light wear New toilets can be like new cars. When newer models and technologies are released, older units move down a tier. No longer new, but not yet old, these “light wear” porta potties are often used at events and construction sites. They may not be the latest and greatest, but these are clean units in good repair. This is the most common grade of portable toilet you’ll see on worksites and events where many toilets are needed. Fun runs, festivals, and events where large crowds are gathered will likely have many rows of these toilets available. Moderate wear If you’ve ever stepped into a portable toilet that has seen better days, maybe at a carnival or state fair, then you’ve been inside a unit that’s reached the midpoint of its life cycle. These units are still clean and functional, but they probably show signs of having been hauled around a lot and maybe even tipped, dragged, dented, or tagged here and there. Scratches and dents are pretty typical. And they probably look pretty dated as well. You will definitely find these on many construction sites. Demolition sites, in particular, may opt for these older porta potties because it won’t be a complete loss if the unit is damaged or unintentionally destroyed. While these units are still sanitary and safe to use, they may not be great to look at. (Luckily polyethylene doesn’t hold odors, so they shouldn’t smell!) Heavy wear The last stage of the game for porta potties is when they’ve had so much wear and tear that they need to be replaced. This may include damage caused by accidents or general wear and tear. The plastics and parts used in porta potty manufacturing are designed to last longer than their typical 10-year life cycle, but after a decade most portable toilets do show their age. Especially if they’ve been dragged around construction sites. Restroom trailers and custom units that don’t get a lot of use each year could last much longer than a decade. But for everyday porta potties, all the moving around and servicing will add up to more wear in a shorter amount of time. Toilets at the end of their life cycle may be resold to private parties or dismantled to be properly destroyed. So, where will your rental fall in the life cycle of a porta potty? When you’re purchasing portable toilets for events, construction sites, emergency use, or even home improvement DIY projects, it will almost always be in the light to moderate wear category. That may vary by location and demand at the time. When in doubt, give us a call! Topindus will help you find the right portable toilets for your project.

To empty the waste in the portable toilet, sanitation technicians use a vacuum-like hose into the hole of the toilet. The other end is attached to a hose pump and the waste goes into the truck there. The truck will take the waste to a water treatment plant to be treated from there. After the waste is removed, the technicians ‘charge’ the toilet, which means they put several gallons of blue liquid into the toilet. This is a disinfectant and odor neutralizer, and it can also measure the usage of the porta potty, so workers know when to service it again. The portable toilet is then scrubbed because there could be footprints, mud, trash, and other items in and around the unit. The unit is scrubbed down including any windows, the toilet set, the walls, the floor, and everything in between. The disinfectant spray is used after to ensure that everything is as clean and sanitary as possible. Once things are empty and clean, the portable toilet is re-stocked. Supplies can go quickly and the paper towels, soap, hand sanitizer, and other items need to be refreshed at that time. This servicing process is an important part of keeping the portable toilets in nice working order. When you rent what you need for your event, talk to the professionals about how often the servicing process needs to take place. You will want to ensure that you get service more often if you are going to have a lot of people using the toilet. If there are only a few, servicing can be spaced out more. It’s important to get on the same page with the rental company about the services you need and when you need them. Toppla is the professional portable toilet manufacturer in China. If you need to stock the toilet for your rental company or resale the toilets in your local, pls don't hesitate to contact us.